A while back I reviewed my experience of creating bespoke serums with Activist Skincare, how much I adored their Precious Oils Serum, and how the Hyaluronic Acid Serum didn’t quite meet my needs. Activist Skincare kindly offered to reformulate it free of charge, and a week later I received my product just as I finished my old bottle. Fast forward 2 months, I’m finally ready to give the Hyaluronic Acid Serum the review it deserves.

Twice a day after first essence and toner. In the evenings I’ll sometimes apply a brightening serum before this.

Best suited for

Literally all skin types, thanks to ingredients customization. Great for those who want to keep their routine simple as this is a multi-purpose serum, and don’t mind splurging for better ingredients + formula.

Irritants

None, you won’t find alcohol, parabens, artificial fragrances, or any common irritants in this.

Packaging

An elegant frosted glass bottle with a pipette for dispensing product. The copper + white color combo is also on point 👌🏻

Scent

This is fragrance free, so no noticeable scent.

Texture

A medium-weight serum with has a nice silky slip to it, making it easy to apply

Finish

Absorbs almost instantly and leaves behind a natural finish with no shine or stickiness.

Available At

$89/1 oz for the customized version and $59/1 oz for the ready-to-wear version at Activist Skincare(free shipping in the US, $5 shipping to Canada, and $10 shipping to UK – sign up for their newsletter to get 10% off!)

Ingredients Breakdown

Whether you go with their customized or ready-to-wear version, the ingredient list is quite impressive and totally worthy of its own section in this review. You can view the full list on CosDNA, but I’ll be highlighting the actives below:

Vitamin C* – The form used here is Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, which is much gentler and more stable than ascorbic acid, but still provides the same antioxidant benefits.

Witch Hazel Water – Naturally anti-inflammatory, the tannins found in witch hazel are also great antioxidants

Dandelion Extract – There haven’t been many studies done in regards to its effect on our skin, but we do know that it’s full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals that are beneficial for the skin. (source)

Wild Geranium Extract – A natural astringent that can also promote skin healing and new cell growth

Licorice Root Extract* – Contains glabridin, which has strong antioxidant and soothing properties, making it great for sensitive or easily irritated skin. It’s also great for evening skin tones!

Acai Extract* – A superfruit that’s rich in antioxidants (higher than all the other berries!) that can help protect your skin against UV damage.

Green Tea Extract* – An excellent antioxidant, and the variety used by Activist Skincare uses actually contains a 90% concentration of EGCG, the compound richest in antioxidants, so you know you’re getting the good stuff here.

I love that there’s a great blend of proven ingredients mixed with promising plant extracts to provide a well-rounded array of benefits for the skin. The ingredients with * are my customized ingredients, but even without those, you still have a great selection of base actives that will hydrate and protect your skin.

Due to the acai extract and green tea extract in this second formula, the serum itself actually looked orange-ish red, but it had the same texture and feel as the first formula. I love how fast this serum absorbs into the skin and how it doesn’t leave behind any stickiness, a common problem I have with most hydrating serums. I don’t mind the pipette dispenser, but be careful putting it back in the bottle as some of the product outside the pipette can get on the side of the opening, which then dries up and starts looking crusty and gross. Not a deal breaker, just don’t be sloppy like me 🙈

Color of the second serum, see how easily it spreads and absorbs!

The million dollar question: did it work?

I will be honest and say that this isn’t a product where you’ll see instant results overnight, or even after 1-2 weeks. But after patiently using this for about 1+ month, I noticed that my skin just looked…better. It was a little brighter, it felt a lot smoother, the redness was gone, my makeup applied like a dream, and I looked like I had gotten 10+ hours of sleep everyday (one can hope). The difference was even more noticeable once I stopped using it, not that my skin instantly got worse, but I feel like it just wasn’t as resilient or healthy as before.

I’m glad that I’m seeing more results this second time around, probably due to the additional actives + increased concentrations, something I wish I had requested the first time. The customer support at Activist Skincare is excellent, so don’t be afraid to really tell them what you’re looking for, or if you really want a particular active in your formula!

The one caveat I have to say about this serum is it’s price per ounce – when used twice a day the bottle lasts about just under 3 months, so using this continuously can get really expense. But then again, it’s a customized formula, so are you really surprised? Anyways do I think it’s worth it? Considering all things (ingredients, formula, customer service, etc), yes. Do I think it’s for everyone? No. If you love layering and a complex routine, you probably want products targeted at a single skincare concern rather than something well-rounded like this. But if you prefer a minimal routine and don’t mind splurging, the Customized Hyaluronic Acid Serum is an excellent option.

Activist Skincare Custom Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Packaging

9/10

Ingredients

10/10

Texture/Application

9/10

Performance

8/10

Price

7/10

Overall a beautiful serum that really improves your skin in the long run. It's one of the few, if not only product I've reviewed so far that's gotten a full score for ingredients, and that's because it truly goes above and beyond in that aspect, especially when you add in the bespoke factor. The only thing holding this serum back from being a 9+ product is the price, which I know can be a deterrent for some people. But if you have the means and are willing to spend, then this is definitely worth trying out.

8.9/10

[12/20/2017 UPDATE: After reading our comments regarding the price of this serum, the founder of Activist Skincare, Allison (who is totally sweet and very passionate about her products), reached out to me to shed more light on this subject:

It takes them about 1 hour per serum to individually analyze the customer’s needs, carefully consider how the available active ingredients will work in synergy for the customer’s skin type, create a personalized brochure with details about the formulation, and then create the serum by hand in their lab.Hopefully as they grow they’ll be able to find efficiencies and reduce costs, but until then it will be a labor intensive process, as you can tell.

They take great pride in their selection of ingredients to provide the highest quality and effectiveness possible, and they use them at their optimal concentrations (eg. 10% niacinamide – holla! 🙌🏻 )! They also avoid using any ingredients that could potentially irritate or sensitize the skin in the long run.

Also when you think about how much other eco-luxe brands are charging for their serums, the price for this is more than reasonable, all things considered. Of course, I know that for some people a product could contain unicorn tears and $89 would still be too much, and I get it, I probably would’ve felt the same way 10 years ago when I was still in school. But hopefully these details give you more insight into the rationale behind their pricing :) /end update]

Hope you enjoyed this post, and thank you all for the lovely comments in my previous post!! I’ve been falling behind in replying to comments again (working on it, I promise!), but I have read every single one and I’m honestly so moved by all your kind words ❤️ If you haven’t seen that post yet, please do give it a read, I promise the surprise at the end is worth having to sit through my babbling! 😂

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

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I received the product for review considerations, but all opinions are 100% honest and my own.This post contains affiliate links, and each purchase helps cover the cost of running this blog, so I appreciate each click! For more information please read my disclosure policy.

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! Even though I may not reply, I do read and appreciate each one. If you have a question, feel free to message me privately and I'll definitely get back to you! xoxo.

Wow, it’s so nice they offered to reformulate free of charge! I agree, I think this would be perfect if you had a more minimal skincare routine, something I wish I had. Currently, mine is just… a bit erratic, lol. My foray into the skincare world is relatively new, and boy did I jump in, so I’m just figuring out what works for me. Love that it doesn’t leave that stickiness behind, something my current hydrating serum does!

I was the same way when I really started getting into skincare, but I think it’s all part of the learning process – figuring out what works and what doesn’t! Now I’m less about experimenting (unless I’m actively testing something) and more about keeping things simple, so this serum fits that need perfectly!

WHOA! You can create custom, bespoke serums!? Now that’s a skincare idea I can absolutely get behind! I did my first laser facial today and I feel like I want to get all the best skincare possible for my skin :) I’m glad this serum is much more in line with what you’re looking for. It can be super tricky to find something that works and I’m glad it eventually worked out for you especially when it was offered out of a gesture of goodwill!!

Even though I am not a big skincare freak, I would love this because I want my skincare routine to be super simple. I love how you can customize this too! Thanks for pointing out that it takes a month, because I tend to be really impatient and left wondering what is improving my skin vs. what isn’t working (which is why I am not huge on skincare, lol)

I think this can be a great option for someone who’s not huge on skincare, as you don’t need to browse through the millions of options on the market, you can get something tailored to fit your exact needs! The key is definitely patience though, something I’ve learned through the years! 😅

That really is an impressive ingredient list. I wouldn’t want to miss on your customized actives, especially the high content of niacin amide makes it worth splurging. And in the mornings a multipurpose product is very welcome. I do love layering but when I need to get myself and two kids ready and out the door, something needs to give…

Yes, this definitely was a lifesaver in the mornings, especially since I tend to hit the snooze button one too many times leaving me in a time crunch to get ready. Will definitely need this when I have kids!

This sounds like the perfect combination of ingredients and really a all-in-one serum for when you don’t have time or don’t like many steps in your routine. I love the packaging too which looks super chic though that side spill from pipettes is always so annoying. My hands aren’t steady enough haha! I would definitely assume this isn’t an overnight miracle worker but rather a maintenance and protection product and I am so glad to learn about it xxxUmmBabyBeauty

I used to love mixing and matching as well, but now that I’m back to that routine, I honestly miss the simplicity (and effectiveness!) of this serum! Trust me, I didn’t think I could commit either…until now 😉

i think a lot of people don’t account for skincare needing time to act! myself included, lol – i think i’m just spoiled by masks where you can see and feel instant results, haha. agreed that the price isn’t for me, though – but when i have a disposable income, i’d probably zip right to this since i love me some customizable beauty.

Me too! It took me a while to learn that skincare products take time, and I’m pretty sure I’ve ruled out some legitimately good products because of my impatience 🙈 Honestly 5 years ago I would’ve struggled to splurge $89 for a single product as well, so I totally understand where you’re coming from!

You already piqued my curiosity about Activist when you first introduced the brand here. This has definitely kicked it up again :D After trying a more minimal routine earlier this year that actually worked I think I might be open to switching it up between a pared down routine and multi product one just to give myself a break every so often. I saved so much time. Even if one doesn’t go for a custom serum the roster of ingredients they use sounds impressive. And honestly I wouldn’t mind paying a little more for a product that really works ;)

My skin is on the sensitive side now as well, and if anything this has made my skin less prone to sensitivity! They avoid using any ingredients that can irritate or sensitize the skin in the long run, so definitely great for those with a more delicate skin barrier!

Very expensive, but I would say that good skincare is definitely worth investing in. It’s really cool how they customised it for you, also! I like the ingredients included and it sounds like it’s really effective – most products take a while to bring any visible results, but it’s always worth sticking to! Thanks for sharing this incredibly thorough review, lovely. <3 xoxo

Thank you so much Kay! The founder actually emailed me after seeing everyone’s reaction to the pricing (which is totally understandable!) to provide some more details on the rationale behind their prices, and I’ve added those details to the post if you’re curious!

Expensive but I have to say, skincare is extremely important which I only realised recently after gettng a but of adult acne. I guess I was taking my skin resiliency for granted. Your review is very detailed and helpful!

Thank you so much! I agree, investing in your skin really does pay off in the long run, something I’m really starting to notice now that I’m older! 😅 Also, I just updated the blog post with some more details from the founder regarding their pricing to hopefully shed more light on the subject!

This sounds like my kind of treatment as I am not into a million-step care routine although currently trying that to see if it works :) I really like the fact that it can be tailored to different skin types and needs, so will check it out when my current hyaluronic acid runs out. Thanks a lot for sharing!

Thank you for reading Saida! I love a simple routine as well and this serum was absolutely perfect in that sense, plus they have the most amazing customer service! Definitely recommend checking them out!

I never heard of this before but I love the sound of it than it agrees with sensitive skin. I love it also because it so simple and you can customise it too. This is definitely a skincare product I should absolutely try. Great post.
Sharon Elsie | diva-in-me.com